Two Marines were jailed Saturday on misdemeanor battery charges after they beat up a gay man, according to Savannah-Chatham police.

About 3:45 a.m., a metro police officer was patrolling when he saw two men running on Congress Lane. Moments later, the officer received a call about a man at Congress and Bull streets unconscious on the ground.

The officer rushed to the intersection and found 26-year-old Kieran Daly motionless with friends performing first aid, a report stated.

The officer caught up with the two men who were running away, identified as Keil Joseph Cronauer, 22, and Christopher Charles Stanzel, 23. Police records show both men are stationed at Marine Corps Air Station in Beaufort, S.C.

Cronauer and Stanzel told police they were being harassed by a gay man and wanted to get away from him. But witnesses painted a different picture, according to the report.

They told police one of the men grew angry because he thought Daly was winking at him and struck Daly in the back of the head with his fist, knocking him unconscious.

Saturday night, from his bed at Memorial University Medical Center, Daly insisted he tried to convince the Marines he was not winking at them.

Daly said one of the men told him he demanded respect because he served in Iraq. And at least one hurled slurs at him as he tried to walk away.

"That's the last thing I remember is walking away," Daly said.

Daly said after his friends performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation at the scene, he was taken to Memorial University Medical Center and diagnosed with bruises to his brain. He had two seizures immediately after the attack and was expected to remain at Memorial for several days.

Meanwhile, Cronauer and Stanzel were booked into Chatham County jail on battery charges and later released to military police, according to jail and police records.

Daly said he came out six months ago and since has only received a few negative looks and comments. But Saturday's incident left him wondering whether the misdemeanor charge against his suspected attackers was enough.

"It leaves me wondering why Georgia is one of five states that doesn't have a hate crime law on the state level," he said.

Metro police spokeswoman Gena Moore said the incident is being monitored by her department's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender liaison.

Jesse Morgan, president of the Gay-Straight Alliance at Armstrong State Atlantic University, said the incident was only one example of what gay Savannahians experience every day.

"We can't even walk on the street and be out and gay on the street," Morgan said. "Our punishment for that is anyone attacking us just for being who we are. This type of behavior has to stop."

ADVISORY: Users are solely responsible for opinions they post here and for
following agreed-upon rules of civility. Posts and
comments do not reflect the views of this site. Posts and comments are
automatically checked for inappropriate language, but readers might find some
comments offensive or inaccurate. If you believe a comment violates our rules,
click the "Flag as offensive" link below the comment.

He just further reinforced the stereotype that most of our young military recruits are nothing more than neanderthals. Isn't it ironic that in the report that he said that he 'demand respect,' but then had to hit the man in the back of the skull? It takes a great deal of fortitude to pull something like that off. Hopefully he gets discharged and ends up with a job that will better suit his intellectual capabilities. McDonald's perhaps?

First of all, my sympathy goes out to Kiren Daly. Nobody should have to endure what he went through. As a veteran I find it particularly galling that it happened at the hands of two young men who took an oath to protect this country and uphold the Constitution. I also find it disturbing that beating a man unconscious is only a misdemeanor. That needs to be changed. However, I do not agree that we need "hate crimes" legislation to solve this problem. We need to punish crime, not motivations. The two thugs who assaulted Mr Daly should get the same punishment that Mr Daly would have gotten if he had assaulted one of them, regardless of motivations, which can be difficult to determine. Is it possible, even likely, that the young men beat up Mr Daly because he was perceived to be a homosexual? Sure. Is it also possible that they did so because he was perceived to have "disrespected" them? Yep. Many thugs who beat the stuffing out of their victims will allege that the victim brought it upon themselves when the real reason was simply that some people are just aggressive animals and some victims are in the wrong place at the wrong time. Also, the victim was already an advocate for hate crimes legislation BEFORE the assault occurred, as he was able to cite the fact(?) that Georgia was one of five states without a hate crimes law at the state level. He also says that "at least one hurled slurs at him as he tried to walk away". Suppose Georgia DID have a hate crimes law. Imagine yourself in Kiren Daly's position: You've just been beaten senseless by a couple of Marines who are subsequently apprehended. You know that if you tell the police that you were assaulted for no apparent reason, your attackers likely get off with a slap on the hand. If you heard your attackers use a couple of choice slurs, the charges are upgraded to felony and they do serious time. It's your word against theirs.....I am not saying I don't believe Mr Daly. I'll take him at his word. However, if we were to pass hate crimes legislation, I doubt that any homosexual who is on the wrong end of an altercation like this is ever going to say "no, officer, I can't honestly say I heard any slurs"

The simple solution to this is to increase the penalties and make it a felony to beat anyone unconscious for any reason.

...( from behind no less! ) because of his sexual orientation is as cowardly as lynching someone because he's Black. IF convicted, the assailant should be dishonorably discharged and his buddy less than honorably discharged for not stopping him from hitting a civilian who was walking away. I'm sure their commanding officer aboard MCAS Beaufort is none too happy right now. Get your stories together guys cuz soon you'll be talking to Marine Corps CID and/or NCIS, among others.

A man suffered a brain injury and CPR had to be done because of a wink. By the hands of a well trained United States Marine are you kidding me .Forget for a moment that he is gay . I will ask this question of all you men and women out there. Would you hit someone because they winked at your boyfriend,husband ,wife or girlfriend ? Well, jail is the last place this homophobic *&%$ wants to be.......................all I can say is soap on a rope.

the gay marriage issue is something that hasnt made much progress in Georgia. Why ? well lets see the citizens that are afforded certain rights and privileges because they are married have the attitude that " it doesnt affect me " i got what i want or need. Well it does affect you guys. Oh yeah and then there is " THE RELIGION ISSUE " well I have ONE thing to say about that !!!!!! I am sorry because I'm sure this might affend some people. HOWEVER, when 2 people get married WHAT makes it "official" the minister or justice of the peace says these little words " by the power vested in me by the " STATE OF GEORGIA " i now pronounce you husband and wife " guess what people the truth is the truth " Jesus and God " are not the ones that voted to make that law. They are not the reason you get offered tax breaks. IT IS THE GOVT EITHER STATE OR FEDERAL !!!! better yet how about when a married couple has to have medical decisions about healthcare or Organ Donation made it isnt that big of a deal. but guess what for Gay people it is..... something as simple as being able to go into the hospital and see your loved one or significate other can be difficult. " immediate family " usually covers husband, wife, mother, father, son, daughter, brother, sister. IMAGINE IF YOU HAVE SPENT YOUR LIFE WITH SOMEONE LOVED THEM UNCONDITIONALLY STOOD BY THEM THRU IT ALL GOOD AND BAD !!!!! Then one day they have a car accident or fall ill and have to be placed in the hospital and someone tells you " I'm sorry but visitation is for IMMEDIATE FAMILY !!!!!" think about that !!!!! GEORGIA IT IS TIME TO OPEN YOUR MIND AND MOVE FORWARD !!!!! I agree with the comment made earlier "HATE CRIMES" isnt the answer IT SHOULD BE A FELONY FOR ANY AMERICAN TO CAUSE HARM TO ANOTHER BY ASSUALTING THEM. IT DOESNT MATTER IF IT IS BECAUSE THEY ARE GAY, STRAIGHT, FEMALE, MALE, WHITE, BLACK. DISCRIMINATION IS DISCRIMINATION !!!!!! One last thing YOU BETTER BELIEVE THOSE POLITICANS DONT DISCRIMINATE WHEN THEY GET OUR VOTES !!!!! THEY DONT CARE WHAT RACE, GENDER, ORIGIN, SEXUAL ORIENTATION YOU ARE AS LONG AS YOU VOTE FOR THEM !!!!!

Sorry, but marines have a rep for being disrespectful bullies. They are brainwashed in boot camp that they are better than everyone else.
I was born and raised in Hawaii and dealt with all 5 military groups (Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and Marines) the the Marines by far had the biggest group of Punks. and when someone would tell them to shut their mounths, they would always BARK, why should I, I am a marine.

They don't deserve to be called marines. These guys are thugs, and any "respect" they enjoyed is now gone. Contrary to other posts, Ga indeed does need a hate crimes bill. The government increases sentences and punishment all the time for certain crimes. Pedophiles face increased punishment, as do drug dealers. These criminals deserve the same. To be prosecuted with enhancement. Even if these bullies were winked at, it's not excuse. They should be thrown out of the military and prosecuted for the pigs that they are.

So what you're saying is if I have two sons, one straight, one gay, and they each go to a different bar in downtown Savannah, and they are each assaulted by a couple of Marines or Rangers, as has happened to many people in Savannah for as long as I can remember, then the guys who beat my gay son should get a harsher sentence than the guys who beat my straight son? Ever heard of the concept of equal protection under the law? I'm all for gay rights and those rights do not have to come at the expense of the Constitution.

A mother is at a zoo with her infant, when she got too close to the Gorilla's cage. The gorilla reached out and snatched the infant from the mother's arms. The mother and several onlookers were screaming helplessly as they watched the gorilla hold the baby. Just as the gorilla was about to tear the lil' baby to pieces, a Marine comes upon the scene and jumps into action. He kicks in the door to the gorilla's cage, and before the gorilla could react, the Marine punches the gorilla so hard that it stuns him and he drops the baby. The marine snatches the baby before it hits the ground, and runs out of the cage, slamming the door, and saving the day. A reporter happened to be there with her family and says to the Marine, "That was amazing! I want to write a story about you! Who are you, and what do you do, that you found that much bravery and strength to do what you just did?" The Marine says, "I am a US Marine, home on leave from overseas." The headlines in the newspaper the next day read, "US Marine assaults immigrant and steals his lunch"

@TandT: What's your point? Poor Marines are treated unfairly? These charges will be upgraded to aggravated battery, and if the Marine attacked a man from behind (how brave!), regardless of whether he had been "disrespected," then the Marine needs to be punished and doesn't deserve to be called a Marine.

It was simply a joke, that's it. I agree, the Marine should have the book thrown at him, and he gets courts martialed and does time, so be it. The joke was geared toward the title of the newspiece. Two Marines (actually the report stated that one did the hitting) beat (definition of beating is multiple hits) a gay man. Why couldn't the headlines have read, "One man is arrested after hitting another man"? .....because that doesn't sell newspapers.

I'm definitely not defending the Marines for assaulting that dude, but a dishonorable discharge definitely shouldn't and probably won't happen. I'm assuming they were drunk, and drunk military men get arrested on a daily basis for fighting downtown, they should just get the regular punishment for an alcohol related incident in their unit. As for the gay guy, coincidentally squinting while walking by two guys, I doubt it. He probably winked at them, and they definitely have the military appearance so I'm assuming he knew they were military and thought they were cute or was trying to provoke them. What was he squinting from at 3 in the morning? The bright sun? Squinting because he is tired is a lame excuse, and I apologize if that was the actual case. I'm not condoning their actions but I'd bet money the Marines said something to him for the "wink" and it was his response that got him hit. Also, I'm pretty sure the crime wasn't committed because he was a homosexual, it seems like they did it because they felt disrespected, which is not a hate crime. If it was a hate crime they would have targeted a gay man and probably followed him to an alley and beat him where there aren't many witnesses. Last, it says they hit him once, if it was a hate crime they probably would have hit him several more times and kicked him while he was down.

The young lady stated in the police report that they were "joking". The consensus in this forum seems to indicate that MAYBE Mr Daly winked at the marine. It seems that some sort of verbal and non verbal gestures were present. Mr Daly and all gay men should be able to walk any street in Savannah without being assaulted. Likewise, straight men should be able to do the same without being leered at and the butt of lewd comments from gay men. The common arguement from some gay men that the attacker is a closet case is baseless.

I have not read all the comments to see if this has been brought up yet, but let's imagine this scenario. A couple of marines walk down the alley, woman winks at them (or whatever that could be taken as a come-on). Said "gentlemen" beat her senseless because they are not personally attracted to her. Would that be a decent defense? Having a completely closed mind to the world and society around you is not an excuse for behaving like an animal. What is so difficult about saying "Sorry, man. I'm straight."?

The hate you are exhibiting in simply discussing the issue is precisely the type of emotion that should be as far removed from the law and its enforcement as possible. The law should deliver equal and dispassionate justice for all, regardless of orientation, and not be used for vengeance. I shudder to think of what could happen if laws like the ones you favor get in the hands of DA's with the same anger as you have exhibited in your post.

People really we are in Georgia there is no hope for any kind of "HATE CRIME" laws to be enacted. The only way things are going to change in this state is for open minded non discriminating officals are elected. We live in a place that people want to over look the obvious. The state of Georgia doesnt even have laws to protect people from being DISCRIMINATED against. In 2003 HB 885 was introduced in the Ga House of Rep. in was later entitled the " Georgia Discrimination Act of 2003". This bill only made it thru 2 readings and was shot down due to lack of votes. It never even made it to the Senate. We are talking about something that would have been good for "ALL" Georgians. the bill would have made it a misdemeanor for a person to be DISCRIMINATED against due to Race, Religion, Sex, Origin, Martial Status, and Sexual Orientation. WOW it even had the words SEXUAL ORIENTATION !!!! But here in Georgia that was too MUCH for some people to handle. Georgia it is time to open up our minds and get over this ISSUE. GAY people are no different than any other citizen that has rights based on the US Constitution. I myself am Gay and have been out for quite sometime, I wouldnt change anything about my lifestyle. Gay people are no different than any other " group " that has been discriminated against in history of this country. STAND FAST and BE PATIENCE it will happen. Blacks had the struggle and so did women guess what they made it. This attack could have been provoked or not been. Luckily there were witnesses that will help determine that. I have been downtown and had encounters with military guys that for do " flirt " and that it boost there esteem or flatters them that a gay guy would flirt with them or be interested in them. I have just one question to ask guys. What is the different in a "straight guy" touching another "straight guys" butt during a sporting event or just in random passing, or grabbing each others private area (playing around) as they call it. As long as they are "straight" it doesnt matter , but let's say the same guy comes "OUT" two weeks later...... then goodness it is an issue ..... he can't do that he is GAY !!!!! people it is time to move on with this whole "GAY ISSUE". VOTE FOR AND ELECT OPEN MINDED OFFICALS !!!!!

Daly is a blameless victim in all this, as "all this" is his getting hit in the back of the head for no good reason. Whatever's going on in your family is irrelevant to the main point--a person (good or bad) was severely injured for nothing. Please keep the sordid, trashy details of your family to yourself.

I happen to favor marriage equality, repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell, getting rid of any laws denying homosexual couples hospital visitation, etc. I am absolutely for equality. Nothing in my previous posts was at all hateful or bigoted against gays or anyone else. I simply explained why I am against hate crimes legislation. Other posts on here actually engaged in gay-baiting and contained comments I would consider out of line. Yet when Drew wants to unload a diatribe against anti-gay hate it is my post, of everything written here, that he finds most objectionable?! Sounds to me like he is more concerned with leftist politics than reconciliation and understanding between straight and gay people. It's fine to disagree over the issue of hate crimes. It is disgraceful to disagree in the really ugly manner that Drew chose to employ.

I find it amusing you're actually not only using the Bible to condone the beating of another human being, but you're relishing the fact that he was injured. If your God does indeed exist, you're probably not one of the ones on his illustrious entry list. Have fun living in hypocrisy.

Whether he winked at the guy or not, he is a human being and no one deserves to get hit like he did. The marine certainly wasnt physically in danger. A little too much drink, a perceived threat to his "manhood", an attempt to save face, all adds up to trouble.

Thank you for your comments and for reminding us all that there are "Christianists" like you who would rather see a gay man dead than acknowledge his humanity. You do more for the gay rights movement than any gay activist ever could. Cheers!

As a former Marine who got out within the last 2 years, these guys should, and will get the book thrown at them. I'm guessing reduction in pay grade/rank, confinement to the barracks for a couple months, and have to give up 3/4 of their pay for a couple months. Plus they won't be able to reenlist. That aside, I think that if you repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell, I think that there will be more of this going on in the military. I was in the infantry, and if a guy wasn't pulling his weight, we would give him a good beat down to get him to get back with the program. If the guy tried to complain, he wouldn't have any witness. Point I'm trying to make, if DADT is repealed, openly gay guys, at least in certain MOS's (jobs), will get assaulted and will be unable to prove it. Another point....If a gay guy and a straight guy get into a fight over something (not to do with his sexual orientation) and the gay guy gets his [filtered word] kicked, what's going to stop him from pulling the hate crime card......

I hope these two men are punished to the full extent of the law! Whether the victim was gay or not! What was done was wrong and Justice should be made! Gay Hate Crime or not they should be punished! May god be with the victim and his family!

If a cross is burned in the yard of a black family is that a "hate crime"? How 'bout if a swastika is spray painted on the face of a synagogue? Is that a "hate crime"? Or is that just a case of vandalism? Should those crimes be prosecuted the same?

"Hate crimes" are not just leveled at a particular individual. They are a implied threat to a perceived segment of the population. That is their "intent". I have to wonder about those who dismiss "motive" when a crime is committed. Apararently, those are individuals ignorant of our judicial system.

Hate crime legislation does not confer any tangible rights, “special” or otherwise. In order for a “special right” to be assigned, there would logically be some benefit to a specific designated group to the exclusion of another. Hate crime legislation is applicable to all citizens regardless of their actual or perceived membership in any particular group. It excludes no one. You, for instance, do not need to be a member of a racial minority in order to be the victim of a racially-based hate crime. If one group of people were allowed the right to vote (a right with a tangible benefit) to the exclusion of the general population, that would be a “special right”. Such is not the case with the designation of a hate crime. James Byrd Jr., for instance, was certainly the victim of a hate crime. In no way would he benefit from his status as a victim even had he lived. Hate crime legislation does not propose to treat the victim differently, only the perpetrator, in which case there is no benefit. As some may be aware, enhanced penalties for numerous crimes already exist. I have never heard any opponent of hate crime legislation also object to enhanced penalties for those who kill a police officer or rape a child. These crimes are considered especially heinous to society and, therefore, the perpetrator (not the victim) is the one who receives “special” treatment. That is also the reasoning behind hate crime legislation. Personally, it is difficult for me to view spray-painted swastikas or burning crosses as simple acts of vandalism.

Those who object to "Hate crime" designation are saying a lot about how they regard their place in society as opposed to "others".

@ yeahwhatever:
I can understand your pain at the hurt your sister is suffering. Clearly, there is some ambivalence in your comment. While I admire your loyalty toward a beloved sibling and her children, I am sure you don’t intend to imply that your brother-in-law received a justified punishment. At least, I hope that was not your intent. There is no doubt that your sister was placed in an unfair situation. I’m sure she is feeling that she has been betrayed and made a fool. I presume that she married with pure intent and a sense of true love....in which case she is not and never was a fool...no more or less than anyone else who loved. I hope she may come to accept that truth. I can understand your anger on her behalf and that of your family. I also feel some anger. I am angry at a society that doesn’t easily allow gay folk to be honest with themselves and those they love. I am angry that your brother-in-law chose to marry someone (however he may love her) without the ability to be fully honest with her and with himself. I can’t know the exact circumstances of their relationship. That is, finally, between the two of them. I can only hope that we may collectively learn to accept people who we perceive as “different” and no longer burden them with unfair expectations based on the accepted standards of society. I would hope that we might allow gay folk to express themselves without reservation and the ability to love honestly. Your sister was clearly placed in an unfair marriage. That sucks. I wish your brother-in-law had been able to express himself honestly; that he felt he couldn’t is also unfair. Maybe we can agree to raise our children without prejudice and with regard for their true selves. Maybe we can agree to create a nurturing environment for them in which they feel safe to express who they are so that they might love with integrity.

If you live in the year 2010, have access to the internet are still ignorant, it means you are too lazy to find the truth for yourself, or you just dont care - either case is moronic in my book. Calling it for what it is isnt hateful. Thank goodness America has evolved to the place that is has, its time to enforce the laws of the land now, and stop [filtered word] about them protecting everyone instead of just some. Get over yourself.

I apologize if I have hurt your feelings, but you are making false statements and commenting on a topic that you obviously have done no research on yourself. I had to point out all of your errors. All of which are easily accessible on the internet. I think thats sad and pathetic that you cant find all that out on your own. Thats my opinion - its not hate.

Actually, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 contained provisions for Federal prosecution of hate crimes. This was expanded in 1969 with formal Hate Crimes legislation also at the Federal level. Your immediate point concerning the recent proposed inclusion of "sexual orientation" and subsequent objections to such, however, is legitimate.

This is just another example of what out Military has become. They are no longer training our men to fight for our freedom, they are only training our next wave of career criminals. I encounter military families all the time and they all act as if we owe them something. I overheard a woman tell a Police Officer that her husband had just gotten back from iraq and deserved a warning and not a ticket. Why does he deserve a warning?...because he went overseas and did the job he applied for and is being paid to do?. When I go to my office and perform my duties does this make me a hero as well?....do I deserve a warning and not a ticket regardless of the offense? The vetrans of the World Wars, Vietnam, and Korea were true Men. In todays Military there are very few men and lots of cowardly dogs looking for the opportunity to prey upon us!

I'm so glad that everyone who hates our military got a reason to speak out against it. I'm so glad Americans are full of so much hate for their own country. No wonder everyone else hates us too. I'm also glad every gay man or woman in Savannah now has a reason to fight for "hate crime" legislation, even though these guys are military and won't be tried in civilian court, so state laws won't affect them at all. I'm also really glad that all the hate mongers can now come out and spread their hate all over savannahnow.com. It's wonderful. In all actuality, I'm not glad about any of these things. What I am glad about is that it's Monday, I've got a nice cup of coffee, and I don't really care about this story or any of you maniacs. I do have a funny story to tell though. I don't have enough room to tell it, so I'll just deliver the ending...gay dude beats up the punks trying to hate on him, notices me watching and says, "That's right, I'm FAAAABUUUULOUS!" So I giggle and walk away.

Now that some time has passed on this, I can understand that people are extremely [filtered word]. I happen to be one of them, but.

Not only has the victim been through hell and back but let us also think of what the families of these Marines are going through and try and put ourselves in their positions. Both of the Marines have totally screwed up their lives. I am not by any means condoning what they did; they need to be punished to the fullest extent of the law. But they have mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters that now indirectly share the shame in what they have done. Picture yourself going to the store and people staring at you and pointing fingers. I know that I would not want to be in their position, nor would I want people vilifying me for my relatives actions.

Unfortunately their is more than one victim here brought on by the actions of two immature men. That instead of thinking before acting; acted before thinking. But as a community now is our time to stand proud, loud and make our voices heard but to also be tempered with compassion for those caught up by the collateral damage. Their is no need for us to drag ourselves down to the level that these two have succumbed to.

If you want to affect change and see that justice is served then contact our officials and elected leaders this is the only way to change can be effected, and justice served. And in order to see that both of these men get punished to the fullest extent of the law then we need to allow the police to fully investigate this so they don't get off.

Some of you have some funny ideas about our military personnel. Based upon the comments here, you seem to think that the military attracts some comic-book character, all heroic, with his American values of truth and justice leading him in his every pursuit.

The truth is, the military has all types of people in it, but unfortunately the psychology of the average soldier is one of youthful exuberance mixed with a testosterone-fueled tendency toward violence. Kept in check, that combination helps us win wars. Let loose, however, it creates monsters like this two idiots. The shocked reactions in these comments show me that some of you have no idea what the military is really made up of, and these archaic attitudes need to be changed into more realistic ones.

Moreover, some of your opinions about Hate Crimes laws are woefully uneducated. As you may be aware we have special laws regarding attacking or killing law enforcement. This is because we have recognized that a criminal who targets law enforcement is a different animal in many ways. This type of crime involves 1) the targeting of a person based upon a group he belongs to (law enforcement), and 2) a certain type of psychology, involving a hatred of that group's members.

Hate Crimes legislation is similar in some ways to the above. It recognizes that these are special crimes that involve 1) the targeting of a person based upon a group he belongs to (sexual orientation, race, religion, ethnicity, etc.), and 2) a certain type of psychology, involving hatred of that group's members.

Although Hate Crimes are functionally similar (or even identical) to other crimes, their motivation is more sinister; perpetrators target their victims not because of random violence, or because they have some ultimate goal (robbing a 7-11, for instance), but simply because of WHO THE PERSON IS. This has been recognized by citizens in 45 states (a large majority) as an especially dangerous type of crime/criminal, and one that poses an even greater risk to the safety of our citizens.

So the answer isn't "making punishments of all crimes tougher" (which has been shown to have no effect on hate crimes), but rather to send a clear message that hate crimes will not be tolerated.

You see it in the movies, on TV, even in real life. A guy makes a sexist remark to a women, and she stops, turns around and smacks him. Everyone thinks the same thing, "he deserved it". But a gay guy makes a sexist remark toward another guy, and he doesn't approve, and he gets smacked, a hell of a big smack, but a smack none the less. Contrary to popular belief, you cannot walk down the road and say and do whatever you want, there are consequences. Whether those consequences are correct or not, they exist, and to put them aside is irresponsible, and actually just plain dumb. This was no hate crime. It was someone responding negatively to a comment or gesture, that was negative. The homosexual community is all up in arms over this issue, yet, they want the "Don't ask, Don't tell" law in the military overturned. Do you have any idea how many "smacks" there will be when guys come out in the military? Not to mention, wearing such a dark uniform after Memorial Day is such a fashion faux pas.

What?! Georgia doesn't have a hate crime law?!!!!! Are you kidding me? We can pass a federal hate crimes law, but the state of GA can't even pass it's own. How many beatings have to take place before we take a step to protect our people from these thugs? I hope the 2 marines are dishonorably discharged, then go to jail, then catch an STD in jail, and live miserably or die!!!!

So, BayAreaGuy, do you live in GA? Or do you live in San Fran as your username would suggest? sfwebguy? You in San Fran as well? That the "coast" you were talking about? How about you guys worry about the terrible state Cali is in and let us worry about the laws in our state. FBI is already on the case, so hey no need for a state law, the feds got it under control.

Have you read all of the comments on all of threads going about this? If so, you've seen MANY speak out against what happened to Daly.

These Marines are STATIONED in South Carolina, but that does not mean they are from the Southern US. There are military bases on the West Coast so you must realize how being stationed someplace does not mean that's where you were born and raised.

So keep your comments about who is IGNORANT reserved for yourself. You are the ignorant one posting something like that without having any knowledge about where they come from. For all you know they might both be from SF.

You're proof that ignorance is NOT reserved for the Southern US and it's blooming right there in SF.

Here's another classic case of idiots on the loose. They haven't crossed the right gay man yet that would put a good @$$ whoopin' on them. The Corps is known for being stupid and dumber than a sack of door knobs, so once again...what more do you expect?

Then again you have Georgia...bible swinging state with a deep hateful history and you wonder why they don't have laws in place in 2010...the old south, will never catch up with civilization, so once again...what more do you expect?

To blame the USMC for the actions of a few misguided individuals shows the depth of your intelligence. The reason why we are as free as we are, and have the liberties that you are enjoying right this moment, is due in a HUGE way to the USMC. These guys fight and go without food for days, get shot and go back for more, and they volunteer to do it, and for the most part, don't complain. I thank God that there are a guys in the USMC that can stop someones heart with one punch, although that hostility should be pointed at an enemy, not a young man, in a park. I may not agree with the man's open lifestyle, but I do hope he fully recovers, and that these half-wits that did this to him find all the punishment that they deserve given to them.

I dont care if you served Iraq or even if you served in the Burmuda Triangle.. You need to be dealt with and you need to be discharged from the marines.. I hope the FBI process these guys to the fullest, and the guy that got beat up should press charges against them for doing this.. I am a gay man and I think this is so sick its not funny, you have to jump a guy from behind and double team on him, what you cant fight a fight fare... Stop being a [filtered word] you damn marine.. grow a set..

Keil Cronauer and Christopher Stanzel -
So you were both abroad serving in the military and it was because you both believed you were there defending for us Americans our freedoms, our liberties and our right to the pursuit of happiness here at home.

But then following your tour of duty abroad and arriving home, you both proceeded to beat the "daylights" out of the very citizens you were defending here at home because you don't agree with their right to freedom, their liberty or their pursuit of happiness (in other words, their lifestyle). So wouldn't you agree that your whole reason for going to Iraq (or other foreign lands) just became null and void.

More simply, after first joining the Marines - did either of you fully comprehend what you were doing when you raised your right hands and took that sacred oath to defend the Constitution of the United States?

--this afternoon I was in SunTrust conducting my bank business when I observed an officer of our police department. He was asking for the video tape from their cameras in regards to this incident and I personally observe that an investigation of this incident is ongoing. I applaud the work of our police department and I say THANK YOU.
--some postings above seem to hint that he was "asking for it". But I see other postings from women who know that that is not an excuse for any action such as that, and to you ladies I also say THANK YOU.
--to the majority who, whether they think homosexuality is right or wrong, agree that a punch the back of the head in retaliation for a wink is wrong I say THANK YOU
--I think most importantly, I want to say to our present and past military servicemen and women that I personally do not think that this action reflects in any way a "military mentality". Our soldiers fight for our freedom of expression on commentaries such as this and our right to walk the streets of any city in our USA without being harassed or attacked and for that and for your service to our country and to me and my family I say THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS AMERICA. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.